The Super Bowl XXXIX tight ends won't have big statistical games, but they could sway the outcome.

The tight ends in Super Bowl XXXIX aren't going to get a lot of publicity in the coming week. They aren't expected to be game breakers like the Eagles' Brian Westbrook or the Patriots' Corey Dillon, so they'll toil in obscurity. But let me assure you the tight ends will play just as big a role in this game by doing the dirty work as the Dillons and Westbrooks will.

Here's a look at the potential unsung heroes of the Super Bowl and how their teams will try to use them.

Former NFL fullback Merril Hoge is an analyst for a wide variety of NFL programs on television and ESPN Radio. An eight-year NFL veteran, Hoge spent 1987-93 with the Pittsburgh Steelers and joined ESPN in 1996.